Pakistan vs New Zealand, T20 World Cup Highlights: PAK thrash NZ by 7 wickets, reach first final since 2009

England and India have to first get past one another and then worry about facing this Pakistan squad who have their tails up. Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Ravichandran Ashwin, Hardik Pandya and a number of others were part of the squad that were trounced by another Pakistan side who had their tails up in the Champions Trophy final back in 2017 and so they will know that they are up against a truly formidable side. The same can be said for England, who were beaten by Pakistan in the semi-finals of that tournament by eight wickets while being outright favourites to win it. Pakistan were difficult to beat for India in the first match of the 2022 T20 World Cup but this is going to be a different prospect. That's it from here, see you tomorrow! 

“I thought Pakistan played nicely and then we managed to wrestle back some momentum. At the halfway mark we thought we had a competitive total but disappointing not to make Pakistan work harder [in the chase]. It's a tough pill to swallow. Fielding was okay...but I think if we want to be honest, we wanted to be more disciplined with our areas. Like I said, Pakistan deserved to win. Throughout the round-robin stages, we played nicely and today we weren't at our best. Having said that, we know the fickle nature of T20 cricket.”

“The way the team performed in the last three matches.... Thanks to the crowd, feels like we are playing at home. We had a good start in the first six overs and later on we had a good spin attack. The fast bowlers also finished very well. Our plan before going inside was to utilise the first six overs and later on everyone can come and chip in. I think he [Haris] is a young guy and showing his aggression. We will enjoy this moment, but at the same time we will focus on the final.”

They started off with a heart-breaking defeat to India in a truly extraordinary opening match for both the sides. Then they ended up being utterly stunned by Zimbabwe. They needed at least one upset on the last matchday of the Super 12 stage and guess what, they ended up getting probably the biggest upset of this World Cup with the Netherlands beating the previous in-form South Africa. From there, they have looked like the perfect team today and brushed New Zealand aside like they are nothing and are now in the final. Easy, right?

The Star Sports pundits are already salivating at the prospect of a rematch between these two, this time for the trophy itself and why not? If India do beat England, which is not an easy task at all one has to remember, well it might set up a spectacle never seen before in cricket at the MCG. Pakistan's team mentor Matthew Hayden is pretty clear that he wants to be playing India in that final just for the sheer spectacle of it. 

“Luckily, the fifty was in the semifinal. Babar and I were struggling but we worked hard and believed. We kept fighting. When we crossed the boundary line, we decided to take the attack to the new ball bowlers. When we finished the powerplay, we knew one of us had to bat deep as it was a tricky pitch. Our start (to the tournament) wasn't good, but the guys kept believing.”

Their first final since 2009, their third T20 World Cup final overall and it has been achieved in the end by Shan Masood calmly pushing it down the ground and taking the single. A little fist pump from him is all the emotion we see, there may have been tension in the stands and even in the dugout, but he knew exactly what he needed to do. He knew probably knew that the bulk of the heavy lifting has already been done by three of Pakistan's biggest stars, Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan and their captain Babar Azam. He just needed to get them over the line. Pakistan were looking unbeatable today, and judging by what happens when they look dangerous after looking bereft earlier in the tournament, their opponents in the final have to be very, very afraid. 

Scores are level, roars in the Pakistan dug out and among the Pakistan fans as the ball goes down the leg side. Almost there now…

Pull shot from Haris and he is caught at short fine leg. So New Zealand do take it to the last over, Pakistan need just two runs to win here.  

Haris c Allen b Santner 30 (26), Pakistan 151/3 in 19 overs

Two shots of pure class from Mohammad Haris off Lockie Ferguson to relieve the pressure on Pakistan. The fourth ball was almost the perfect yorker but Haris backs off to make some room and drills it past mid-off. Ferguson then sends in a chest-high short ball and Haris sends it over square leg with an over more audacious shot. A single off the last ball of the over and Pakistan need just 8 to win off 12 balls. 

Well New Zealand seem to have rediscovered themselves in the field. A full toss from Boult, Rizwan is caught in the deep off side. Then the fielder sends the ball back in and Boult takes off the stumps at the non-striker's end just to be sure there is a wicket in case it's called a no ball. The decision is sent upstairs and the ball is deemed legitimate.  

Rizwan c Phillips b Boult 57 (43), Pakistan 132/2 in 17 overs, need 21 to win in 18 balls

Where has this team been all tournament. They have been almost flawless today. New Zealand, on the other hand, seem to have lost it. Mitchell Santner drops Haris off the first ball of the 16th. 

A single off the fourth ball of the 14th bowled by Ish Sodhi to raise his own half century. That is Rizwan's 23rd T20I fifty and what a time to bring it. 

At last, at long last, New Zealand have an opening but is it too little too late? Babar tries to send it downtown for a maximum, ends up holing out at long on. In comes the explosive Mohammad Haris, it's a long way back from here for New Zealand. 

Babar Azam c Mitchell b Boult 53 (42), Pakistan 105/1 in 12.4 overs

All that talk about separating this opening partnership can be put in the bin now. New Zealand are looking lost at the moment. 

'Form is temporary, class is permanent' says a fan's placard in the stands and how true is that. Babar couldn't middle anything throughout this tournament but cometh the hour, cometh the champion. 

Bouncer from Ferguson, Babar smashes a pull to the midwicket fence. Pakistan inching closer to the 100-run mark already. 

This is ominous indeed from Pakistan. It has already come to a point where it might be safe to say that India or England have to be extremely weary about how they have found form today. 

Ish Sodhi brought in for the eighth over and just five runs off it. But the Pakistan batters won't be worried about it. That required rate remains below their current run rate. 

Santner drags back his length, Babar swivels around and pulls it through backward square for four. 

That is some powerplay from Pakistan. Their run rate stands at 9.16, Rizwan is on 28 off 17, Babar is on 25 off 19. 

Now it's Babar and even Southee has gone for runs here. Short from the NZ veteran and Babar pulls it to the backward square leg boundary. 

Similar shot, just a tad bit tighter on the leg side from Rizwan. Consecutive boundaries to start the fifth over from Rizwan. What a start to the chase this is from Pakistan and these two openers, who have come under fire justifiably for their strike rates, have not really put a foot wrong thus far. New Zealand seem a bit bereft of ideas already. 

Swung through the line emphatically and Rizwan sends Southee through midwicket for his fourth boundary. Pakistan are 36/0 in just 4.1 overs. 

This has not gone according to plan for Boult. Back of a length delivery angling away from Rizwan and crashes it through the offside for four. Boult has been given a hiding.